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New Mexico has endless vacation options for people traveling with pets. While northern New Mexico features many world-famous attractions such as the upscale art town of Santa Fe, the southern half offers secluded remote wilderness areas that are perfect for quiet getaways. Whether you choose to camp in a tent or retreat to a spa, you'll find plenty of places in New Mexico where pets are welcome.

Pet-Friendly Spa Getaways

Santa Fe is a pet-friendly town, with miles of multi-use paths that offer scenic settings for daily dog walks. This 400-year old city is also home to several relaxing spa hotels that wholeheartedly welcome pets. Travelers seeking a centrally-located resort may enjoy the Inn and Spa at Loretto, a downtown hotel that encourages pets to enjoy nearly all parts of the property. Travelers who want a more remote destination will find the Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa (located three miles from downtown Santa Fe) to be an ideal pet-friendly getaway.

Pet-Friendly Camping Trips

Campers will appreciate the freedom to roam among the 300 different public recreation sites in New Mexico. With almost half of all land mass owned by the public, New Mexico's camping options are only limited by your sense of adventure. Vacationers traveling with pets will find many locations that can be enjoyed together, such as Elephant Butte State Park near Socorro. This park features one of the state's largest water recreation reservoirs and has RV and tent campsites. The lake is also minutes from the spa town of Truth or Consequences, which has many different hot springs spa facilities that guests can rent by the hour.

Pet-Friendly Tourist Attractions

Many of New Mexico's greatest attractions are also pet-friendly. All of the national forests surrounding major destinations like Taos and Albuquerque allow leashed pets to enjoy the same hiking trails and water recreation spots that human do. In addition, historic locations such as the Santa Fe Plaza and the Trinity Missile Site both allow leashed pets to roam the property with their humans. Lesser known attractions such the visually stunning art town of Madrid (near Albuquerque) also encourage pets to visit stores and outdoor restaurants alongside their humans.

Things to Know

Although New Mexico conjures up images of stark, arid desert and warm afternoons, the state's geographic features and climate is more diverse than most newcomers are prepared for. While it can be snowing in Santa Fe (elevation 7,260 feet), the hot summer sun will be heating up the streets of Las Cruces (elevation 3,896 feet) at the same time. Always be prepared for inclement weather, since even summertime clouds can bring monsoon rains to the driest parts of the state. Never travel without a first aid kit, proper identification and extra food for your pet.

About the Author

Rene Agredano is a traveling journalist and entrepreneur based in Fort Collins, Colo. Since 1998, she has covered travel, home-and-garden, fitness, animal care and other lifestyle topics for publications such as "The Times-Standard" newspaper of northern California. Agredano holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Chapman University.